Day 1701: "Maybe they’ll have to go after you."

1/ House Republicans released a stopgap bill to fund the government through Nov. 21, but excludes Democrats’ demands to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies and reverse Medicaid cuts. The bill would keep spending near current levels, but add $88 million for security for lawmakers, the executive branch, and the Supreme Court. Speaker Mike Johnson said there was “zero chance” he would attach any of the health-care provisions. Democrats, however, oppose the plan, with Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries saying, “The House Republican-only spending bill fails to meet the needs of the American people.” The measure needs 60 votes in the Senate, and with several House Republicans already opposed, its passage in either chamber is uncertain. Government funding runs out Oct. 1. (Bloomberg / New York Times / Politico / NPR / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / Axios / Politico)

2/ The person accused of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk was formally charged with seven counts, including aggravated murder and felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury. Utah prosecutors said they will seek the death penalty and outlined evidence including Tyler Robinson’s DNA on the rifle’s trigger, a note that read “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,” and text messages in which Robinson admitted, “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.” Prosecutors said Robinson told his parents that Kirk “spreads too much hate.” A judge ordered Robinson held without bail. His next hearing is Sept. 29. (ABC News / Associated Press / Politico / NPR / New York Times / NBC News / CNBC / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / Axios)

3/ Attorney General Pam Bondi, contradicting the First Amendment, said the Justice Department would “absolutely target” people for “hate speech” after Charlie Kirk’s killing. But after bipartisan backlash, Bondi walked it back, saying “hate speech that crosses the line into threats of violence is NOT protected,” and later added: “If you want to be a hateful person and simply say hateful things that is your right.” One conservative radio host said “Our Attorney General is apparently a moron. ‘There’s free speech and then there is hate speech,’” while a Fox News analyst added: “Someone needs to explain […] hate speech […] is protected by the First Amendment.” Trump, meanwhile, threatened an ABC reporter who asked about Bondi’s “hate speech” comments, saying: “Maybe they’ll have to go after you […] You have a lot of hate in your heart.” The White House said it was preparing executive actions to “go after” liberal nonprofits, including reviewing their tax-exempt status and pursuing them under anticorruption and terrorism laws. (Politico / New York Times / NBC News / ABC News / CNN / The Hill / Politico / The Hill / Axios / CNN / Axios / USA Today / Wall Street Journal / The Verge)

4/ Trump filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, four of its reporters, and Penguin Random House, calling the paper a “full-throated mouthpiece of the Democrat Party” engaged in a “decades-long pattern” of defamation. The suit claims three articles and the book Lucky Loser contained “repugnant distortions and fabrications” that were “false, malicious, defamatory, and disparaging,” and alleged they were timed “at the height of election season” to harm his 2024 campaign and business reputation. The Times called the case “meritless,” saying it “lacks any legitimate legal claims” and is meant to “stifle and discourage independent reporting,” while Penguin Random House also dismissed it as “meritless” and said it stood by the book and its authors. Nevertheless, Trump declared: “The New York Times has been allowed to freely lie, smear, and defame me for far too long, and that stops, NOW!” (New York Times / Associated Press / Reuters / The Guardian / Politico / Washington Post / NPR / NBC News / Bloomberg)

5/ The Justice Department deleted a study that found white supremacist and far-right violence “continues to outpace all other types of terrorism and domestic violent extremism” in the U.S. The report, produced by the National Institute of Justice, was accessible on a Justice Department website until at least September 12, according to archived records. The removed page now shows a notice saying DOJ is “reviewing its websites and materials in accordance with recent Executive Orders,” and that some publications will be unavailable during the process. (404 Media)

⏭️ Notably Next: Congress has 14 days to pass a funding measure to prevent a government shutdown; and the 2026 midterms are in 413 days.

✏️ Notables.

• House Republicans voted 213-211 to block Congress from challenging Trump’s tariffs until March 2026. Republican leaders held the vote open for more than 30 minutes while flipping several holdouts, who agreed after leaders promised to shorten the restriction to January in a later measure. Three Republicans joined Democrats in opposition. (Politico / Axios / New York Times)

• Trump extended the TikTok ban deadline to Dec. 16. It’s the fourth time Trump has delayed enforcement of a bipartisan law upheld by the Supreme Court that gave him no authority to keep extending it. (Axios / Politico / New York Times)

• The House Oversight Committee released more Jeffrey Epstein files, including a deposition where former Attorney General Bill Barr described telling Trump of Epstein’s 2019 death. Barr said Trump reacted, “How the hell did that happen, he’s in federal custody?” and repeated that Epstein’s death was “undoubtedly suicide.” Chairman James Comer also asked Epstein’s estate for unredacted ledgers, calendars, and flight logs, citing payments labeled “massage” and notes that “clearly indicated criminal behavior.” (Washington Post / CNN)

• FBI Director Kash Patel, testifying to the Senate Judiciary Committee, claimed there is “no credible information, none” that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked women to anyone besides himself. When pressed, Patel repeated, “If there were, I would bring the case yesterday,” while also saying, “I am not saying that others were not trafficked and others were not involved.” (Axios / NBC News)

• A federal appeals court let Lisa Cook remain on the Fed board, rejecting the Trump administration’s effort to fire her. The White House said it would appeal to the Supreme Court, claiming, “The president lawfully removed Lisa Cook for cause,” and that it looks forward to “ultimate victory.” The court, however, wrote that the government “failed to provide Cook even minimal process – that is, notice of the allegation against her and a meaningful opportunity to respond.” (Washington Post / Bloomberg / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / CNBC)

• The Senate confirmed Trump adviser Stephen Miran to the Fed board in a 48-47 vote. It’s the first time in decades a sitting White House official will help set monetary policy after Miran refused to resign from his administration post. (NBC News / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / New York Times)

• The Georgia Supreme Court in a 4-3 decision refused to hear Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ appeal, leaving her disqualified from prosecuting Trump’s election interference case. Willis had a romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, which the appeals court said created an “appearance of impropriety” and disqualified her. (Politico / New York Times)

• A U.N. commission concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, citing four of the five criteria under the 1948 Genocide Convention. Chair Navi Pillay said Israeli leaders had pursued a “genocidal campaign for almost two years.” Israel, however, dismissed the findings as a “distorted and false report.” (Associated Press / New York Times)

• Israel launched an expanded ground offensive in Gaza City after heavy overnight strikes, pushing troops and tanks forward as civilians fled south. The IDF said forces “entered with fire support from the air and sea” and called Gaza City a “dangerous combat zone.” Hospitals reported dozens of dead, including children, as thousands of Palestinians fled the area. (Washington Post / NBC News)